


In Which Cloud Travels Back in Time (Again)

by misminor



Series: Cloud's Travels [1]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: And now Cloud just rolls with it, And then the Goddess decided to fuck with him, Cloud was male in a few lives, Crack, F/M, Female Cloud Strife, Genderbending, The Remnants are children, Time Loop, Time Travel, chibi!Remnants
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-12
Updated: 2014-08-19
Packaged: 2018-02-04 08:12:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 13,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1771969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misminor/pseuds/misminor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You'd think that if Cloud was given another chance at life to fix everything that went wrong, he'd gladly take it. You're right. He did take it. And he was grateful for it too. The first 10 repeats, that is. Frankly, by his 30th life, Cloud no longer gave a damn.</p><p> Fem!Cloud S/C Sephiroth/Cloud Time-Travel</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII
> 
> Warning: Fem!Cloud; Time Travel; (and possibly) Trolling!Sephiroth (not that it isn't Canon, anyway...)
> 
> Un-Beta'd
> 
> *Edited: 2013 July 18, in regards to Cloud's seventeenth life and Cloud's age

When Cloud first opened his eyes, his first thought was, "Fuck!" His second thought was, "I've been spending too much time with Cid..."

You'd think that if Cloud was given a second chance at life to fix everything that went wrong, you'd think that he would gladly take it. And you're right. He did take it. And he was grateful for those second and third, and fifth chances. At least, the first ten repeats, that is.

By his 30th life, he no longer gave a damn. Sure, he was grateful that the rest of the gang remembered too, but so did Sephiroth. Thankfully, however, Jenova and Hojo never remembered.

It was strange at first. He had woken up a year later than his original birth-year. Eventually, he got used to the fact that at every rebirthing, his birth-year would change. Once, he had been born three years younger than Tifa. In another, he was five years younger than Sephiroth.

He received an unwelcomed surprise in his fourth life. Apparently, Minerva thought it would be funny if he was reborn a girl. Everyone but Aerith - who only looked giddy when she found out - was shocked when they regrouped again. Vincent and Sephiroth were the only ones who took it in stride when they found out.

After the fourth life, he was pleasantly reborn male again. In his thirteenth life, however, he was reborn female. And soon after that, he was reborn a girl a bit more frequently, but that was okay. He adjusted pretty quickly after that.

His seventeenth life... well, Cloud didn't really know how to feel about it. He was a girl again, and was only five years younger than his nemesis. He had gotten into another fight with Sephiroth, and instead of the usual out come, Cloud had somehow, in the heat of the moment, ended up in the man's bed. The next day, Cloud woke up, mortified at his previous actions and at the position he had found himself, and had to struggle out of a sleeping Sephiroth's hold before gathering his belongings and leaving in haste.

He swore to himself that there would be no repeat of that incident.

Unfortunately for Cloud, to his mortification, there _was_ another incident. And another. And another.

Eventually, Cloud, much to his disbelief, found himself to be pregnant.

It was safe to say he had a mental breakdown. For Cloud, as accepting as he was of his female form, it still hadn't sunk in that his body was _completely female,_ and as such, it was still very possible for him to become pregnant.

After his crisis, Cloud eventally accepted that he was now a she and would soon be a mother. Aborting the child never crossed her mind. In order to protect her unborn child, Cloud stopped travelling and getting into fights - an endeavor Tifa and Vincent had set upon her, much to her consternation.

After a few months, Sephiroth had found her in her heavily pregnant state. Strangely, after being interrogated about the child's father and reluctantly admitting that it was Sephiroth's, the man stayed. He clearly had no qualms about abandoning ShinRa once again.

At first, the man was skeptical, claiming that Hojo's projects involving his progeny all failed, nonchalantly saying that the female carriers all died - something about the potency in mako, or something along those lines. Cloud glared at him when Sephiroth admitted he had fully expected Cloud to have dropped dead after their first rendezvous. Eventually, Sephiroth soon eased into the role of an expectant father-to-be, though Cloud suspected he hadn't truly believed himself to be the sire until the child was born.

Sephiroth lived with Cloud, to the shock and apprehension of her friends when they found out, attending to her every need and whim. Cloud made sure to enjoy her free slave as much as she could, no matter how surreal it all felt.

When the child was born, male, and with his father's tell-tale silver hair, Cloud had been wary, watching Sephiroth like a hawk. She would not let the man take her baby.

To Cloud's surprise, Sephiroth stayed and had no intention of leaving. Of course, by their fourth child, she really shouldn't have been surprised when she found out Sephiroth had suddenly decided that he had most likely been going about world domination the wrong way and that his "mother" had probably meant for him to overrun the world with his progeny.

Cloud had to (reluctantly) admit that despite Sephiroth's strange Oedipus complex and goal of world domination, he made a good father. This, Cloud reasoned, was probably why she hadn't left him yet (as well as the fact that even if she did, the man would be able to track them down). Of course, with the distraction of children, Sephiroth's plans of destroying Gaia were put on hold.

After that, Cloud, much to her dismay, was always reborn female.

Whenever she asked Minerva _why_ she even toyed with her gender in the first place, Minerva's response was only, "I've always wanted a girl."

This had to be her...76th life? Whatever. Cloud had lost count.

After her 30th life, Cloud no longer cared about saving the world. Life would just repeat anyway.

So, Cloud decided she would avoid ShinRa and Sephiroth as much as possible, and live a normal, quiet, stress-free life. As much as she could, anyway. She found that no matter what, she couldn't avoid Yuffie or Tifa or Vincent or even _Rufus_ of all people.

Sephiroth, she found, left her alone when he realized Cloud would no longer chase after him. And as much as she missed her children, she had no intention of playing "wife" for her nemesis ever again.

Regardless, it didn't stop him from trolling on her whenever they crossed paths, much to her never-ending irritation. And it didn't help that whenever she _did_ get married, her grooms would always end up being impaled with an oversized katana during the weddings whenever the priest said, "speak now or forever hold your peace."

At first, she was horrified, but then came to terms with it when she saw her late groom walking around Neibelheim alive and well in her next life. Later on, in her next attempt at a normal, Neibelheimian life, she was engaged again, and her groom was once again killed at the wedding.

As per Neibelheim tradition, she was of marriageable age at sixteen. She got engaged again, and was rendered a widow once more. Two more failed weddings after that, and the men backed off and she was officially free from that backwater tradition.

Much to her consternation and to Tifa's and Vincent's amusement, the villagers considered her to be the General's woman. It certainly didn't help when a trio of silver haired children suddenly appeared and followed her around like baby chocobos once they were old enough to walk.

When Cloud asked Tifa why the villagers even _thought_ the chibified triplets were her children to begin with, Tifa just looked at her with amusement and mentioned Cloud's year of absence in which she had spent her time rebuilding First Tsurugi and Fenrir and reuniting with the rest of the gang. It probably didn't help that there was only a three year gap between Cloud and Sephiroth.

Of course, the rumor was cemented when Loz decided his first word would be "Mama!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Expect no plot whatsoever


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII
> 
> Warning: Fem!Cloud; Time Travel
> 
> Un-Beta'd

Although she was confused at the triplet's appearance so early on in her life and their age, Cloud took it in stride. Her mother never questioned the children's sudden appearance and just had a knowing look in her eyes. Cloud felt mortified knowing that her own mother believed the rumors, and no matter what Cloud said, her mother didn't believe her. The mortification Cloud felt when her mother claimed that she knew Cloud would give her adorable grandchildren never failed to amuse Tifa and Vincent - no matter how hard Vincent tried to hide that smirk, Cloud had spent way too much time with him not to notice it.

To avenge herself, she made sure to saddle Vincent with babysitting duty. Her excuse was that it was his chance to make up for lost time with Sephiroth, and since Sephiroth was an adult, Vincent would just have to settle with the triplets.

Cloud claimed that since they were Sephiroth clones, they would still be Vincent's sons anyway.

The Ex-Turk rebuked that since they were made from Sephiroth's DNA, that no, the triplets wouldn't be his sons.

"Then bond with your grand-kids", was Cloud's reply and she left it at that.

All the while, Tifa tried to suppress her laughter in the background.

* * *

Cloud's delivery business was doing quite well. Although she had regular customers, she mostly did business with her old friends and colleagues that remembered their previous lives. People like Cid, Barret, Reeve, Yuffie, and believe it or not, Rufus and his Turks. Of course, she never delivered anything at the ShinRa building - they would just meet elsewhere. Usually at the church with Aerith.

Sometimes, she would catch Zack there too. And sometimes, Zack and Aerith would use her to deliver each other love letters - never mind the fact that they both had a PHS. They claimed it gave them an excuse to see Cloud... and that it was far more romantic than calling or texting or something like that.

Yuffie used her to deliver letters to the others since she was forbidden to leave Wutai. Of course, Cloud was placed under suspicion the first few times she came. Later on, the Wutaians eventually got used to Cloud coming and going. Soon, the people of Wutai began using her services.

It probably helped that Cloud could speak Wutainese.

She did have all the time in the world to learn it, after all.

So there she was... walking nonchalantly in the middle of a battle field in Wutai, packages in hand and First Tsurugi strapped on her back, just in case.

She delivered them, got paid, and was completely oblivious to the incredulous looks she was receiving from the SOLDIERS. The Wutains were already used to her strange ways by now and paid her no heed except for an occasional greeting here and there.

Cloud went back to Fenrir, but by the time she got there, she was stopped by a man clad in red leather - a SOLDIER, she reckoned by the way his eyes glowed. He barked at her to identify herself and her business.

Cloud didn't recognize him but introduced herself and her occupation, regardless. She asked for his name and received a glower. He claimed to be a First Class SOLDIER by the name of Genesis Rhapsodos - a name that Cloud faintly recognized.

She didn't know why his name sounded familiar until she remembered Zack ordered a delivery for one Genesis Rhapsodos. Cloud ignored his sudden tensing when she reached for one of Fenrir's compartments.

She pulled out a letter and a package and handed them over to the man. She then whipped out her PHS and promptly asked him to sign, all whilst reassuring him that it was paid for by a Zachary Fair. After that was all said and done, she mounted her bike, bid him goodbye, and left without another word.

That was the first time Cloud met Genesis. If she had met him in her previous lives, she didn't remember.

The second time she met him was during another delivery in Wutai. This time, however, it was at the Kisaragi palace.

Genesis was apparently in the midst of negotiations with Lord Godo Kisaragi. Cloud was just there to give Yuffie another stack of letters from the rest of the gang.

Naturally, Genesis was surprised when Cloud all but barged in, unannounced. The Wutaians didn't even bat an eye when the princess suddenly rushed up to hug the woman. Not one of the Wutaians even raised a brow when the little princess pulled Cloud down to sit in the meeting.

The SOLDIERS were, of course, flabbergasted, but didn't comment. They didn't want to risk the negotiation failing before it even began.

Cloud didn't talk at all except to answer Godo and Yuffie when they asked for her input. She wasn't even supposed to be there. She had planned to deliver the letters, get Yuffie's replies, and leave to deliver those.

Of course, Yuffie just had to thwart those plans, even with the threat of babysitting duty.

Yuffie just said that babysitting duty would be better than being cooped up with nothing to do. And Cloud thought Yuffie must have been desperate to relieve her boredom.

Yuffie _hated_ babysitting.

Frankly, Cloud was surprised that the people of Wutai didn't have a problem with the triplets - they obviously looked like Sephiroth - but then shrugged it off. Sephiroth probably became known as the Demon of Wutai later or something.

_Perhaps she or one of the others accidentally changed something?_

Cloud later found out that Genesis was hailed the Hero of Wutai.

_Yes, someone definitely did._


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII
> 
> Warning: Fem!Cloud; Time Travel
> 
> Un-Beta'd

The triplets had grown incredibly fast in the past year. Where once stood mere infants now stood toddlers.

Cloud was pretty sure children didn't grow _that_ fast. Riku certainly hadn't, if she remembered correctly. But then again, the triplets weren't exactly normal children to begin with. If the villagers noticed - which she was sure they didn't (they had a habit of selective blindness, after all) - they didn't comment.

Loz was becoming taller, and now looked as if he were the eldest of the triplets. Yazoo grew somewhat. Kadaj, on the other hand, looked the youngest - he barely seemed to age. In all, they no longer looked like triplets.

Loz looked to be almost five, Yazoo looked to be three, and Kadaj looked to be almost two years old.

At first, Cloud didn't notice. It was only brought to her attention when Yuffie commented on their rapid growth, asking Cloud if she was sure the boys had appeared as infants just a year ago.

Their growth wasn't just physical either. Loz could now speak coherent sentences. Yazoo wasn't too far behind in that department, but he was still a rather quiet boy. Kadaj knew a few words and could string two to three word sentences, but he didn't know how to control his volume correctly.

Cloud found that the trio's personalities were very similar to their adult selves.

Kadaj was rather bossy to his brothers and was rather clingy. Yazoo, although quiet, liked to tease and pick on Loz. And although Loz was the biggest of the three, he submitted to their whims very frequently and cried a lot whenever Yazoo or Kadaj - though mostly Yazoo - picked on him. He could probably beat Kadaj in terms of clinginess, too.

The chibified Remnants also picked favorites.

Loz preferred his Auntie Tifa - though that could be because she babied him at times - and Reeve and the funny talking cat. He also recently developed an interest in rockets and tea. And his big sister Yuffie was fun too, even though her dad kept looking at them weird.

Yazoo loved spending time with Vincent. Frankly, Cloud didn't know if Yazoos preference for guns and his quiet disposition was truly to his or if he was just emulating Vincent. His Uncle Rufus wasn't too bad either, and neither was his minion with the dot on his forehead.

Kadaj clung to Cloud as much as he could, but he also loved his Auntie Aerith and Uncle Zack.

Of course, the trio could all agree that the red haired minion of their Uncle Rufus was weird. Kadaj thought he was kinda funny, though.

Because of how the trio didn't really like anyone in Neibelheim except for "Granny" and "Auntie" Tifa and "Papa" Vincent, Cloud hoped that by having the kids meet her friends and colleagues, they would no longer be so clingy. Of course, when she heard them call Vincent, "Papa," she smirked at him, and so did all of the others, though Yuffie, Cid, and Reno hadn't bother to hide their snickers.

Her mission to get the children not to be so clingy sort of worked. Although they picked their favorites, they still came running back to Cloud whenever Reno or someone teased them too much.

When she had first started her delivery service again, the triplets had bawled and cried like there was no tomorrow. It took them a while to realize and accept that she would always come back, but they still became anxious and teary, according to her mother, when Cloud stayed out for more than a day or two.

It took a while for Cloud to be able to travel past Rocket Town because of the triplets' separation anxiety.

In the end, Cloud built a little carrier that attached itself to Fenrir so she could take the kids with her sometimes. When they weren't accompanying her, Cloud used the carrier to hold some of the bigger packages.

And so, Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz's love for motorcycles was born.

* * *

Yazoo and his brothers were now used to accompanying their mother on her various deliveries around the world. Sometimes, she would take one or two of them, or sometimes all of them, with her on her trips. Of course, there were times when they were left at home or with one of her friends, like Auntie Aeris, or their papa would take them to visit the pretty lady in the green crystal.

Although they got used to it, Yazoo and his brothers still didn't like it when their mother left without them. They no longer threw tantrums - well, at least Yazoo didn't - but they still preferred it when they could join their mother.

It was fun when they could travel. It was scary sometimes, but Momma always protected them from the monsters. They learned to behave when they were with her, too. The last time they had wandered off, people kept touching their hair and one even tried to pick them up! Yazoo didn't let them though. He made sure to grab his brothers and make a run for it.

They felt so bad when their mother found them. She looked so scared and worried! She lectured them on the way home and didn't let them go with her on a trip for a whole month.

This was their first trip since that day. They were going to see Auntie Aerith!

The trip was long, and they stopped by Rocket Town along the way before crossing the sea.

By the time they got to Midgar, Yazoo and his brothers were completely exhausted, having refused to sleep on the way. Fortunately, they were able to stay in the carrier as their mother drove from the harbor to the city.

Unfortunately for the children, Cloud had to park Fenrir on top of the Plate. She pulled their hoods on before they got out of the carrier to prevent people from seeing the tell-tale silver hair, and since she only had two arms, Cloud could only carry two. One of them would have to walk the rest of the way.

Yazoo, being the most mature out of the three, offered to walk. Kadaj was too small and Loz was a baby, regardless of his size.

Though it was nice to feel Mother's concern, the smile she gave him, along with the ruffling of his hair, and the pride he saw in her eyes at his selflessness, made Yazoo beam.

Because her arms were full with Kadaj and Loz, Cloud couldn't hold Yazoo's hand to make sure he didn't get lost. Instead, Yazoo gripped her pant leg and stayed close to her as they walked.

The Plate was crowded and people didn't seem to see or care that Yazoo's mother had her arms full and that he was walking beside her, either. Eventually, after bumping into so many people, Yazoo lost his grip on his mother's pant leg and tripped.

It was a good thing he ended up landing somewhere that wasn't as crowded, or he would have probably been trampled on. He did end up hitting something, though.

Yazoo stood up and looked to see what had broken his fall, and saw a leg. When he looked up, he saw it belonged to a woman who wore a bit too much jewelry.

She looked to be in shock though, and he briefly wondered why.

When he felt the breeze hit his face, Yazoo realized his hood had fallen off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, this chapter focused a bit more on the Remnants.
> 
> And yes, Cloud mentioned a "Riku." Yup, the same Riku from Kingdom Hearts (which I do not own, either). Cause, you gotta admit, Riku looks so much like Sephiroth. I couldn't help it!
> 
> By the way, I don't know if toddlers can really talk that much or think like that at their age. If they can't, oh well. The Remnants aren't exactly normal, anyway.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII
> 
> Warning: Fem!Cloud; Time Travel; OOCness... maybe
> 
> Un-Beta'd

Yazoo looked away from the woman and got up. He had more important things to do than hold a staring competition with a strange woman - like looking for his mother, for example. Yazoo scanned the crowd for his mother's bright hair, but unfortunately couldn't find her.

The woman seemed to find her voice again and broke Yazoo from his search.

"Why hello there," the woman cooed. "What are you doing all by yourself? Where's your... parents?"

Yazoo didn't notice the pause, but wondered if the woman was sick. She seemed to be twitching a lot. A short moment later, and Yazoo decided it would be in his best interest to get away from the strange woman as fast as possible.

He didn't want to get infected. The sickness would contaminate his mother, after all. Oh... and his brothers too.

The woman kept trying to make Yazoo talk, but he stubbornly kept quiet. Strangely, the woman just seemed more determined to get him to talk. When he narrowed his eyes at her, he thought he successfully got her to be quiet. Unfortunately, it only muted her for a few seconds before she squealed an ear-grating squeal and promptly resumed her chatter.

Desperate to get away from her, Yazoo scanned the crowds again. Fortunately, he spotted a familiar spikey, black head carrying a heavy-looking sword. Yazoo immediately rushed to the figure as fast as his tiny legs could carry him, and called out to the man.

The man stopped walking and looked around, confusing his companion. Suddenly, the man felt something collide with his leg and looked down.

"Uncle Zack!" The child exclaimed, catching the attention of both his uncle and the man beside him.

"Yazoo?" Zack crouched down and pulled on the child's hood, as he remembered the General's fan club - he didn't want the child to get mauled, after all. And Spikey would kill him if anything happened to one of her babies. "What are you doing here?"

"I got separated from Momma," Yazoo replied. "We were going to Auntie's place."

Zack failed to notice his mentor's shock as Angeal took in the child's appearance.

"Don't worry, Squirt," Zack reassured. "We'll call your mother, but before that, let's go someplace less crowded."

And without even asking his mentor, Zack picked up the child and walked to a quiet corner; his mentor following behind in a daze.

When the trio reached a quiet spot, Zack sat Yazoo down on a bench and fished out his PHS.

Angeal broke from his daze, and stared at his pupil, wondering how the young man even _knew_ the child.

"Spike?... Yeah, it's me... He's right here... You wanna talk to him?... Yeah... Okay." The SOLDIER Second handed the phone to the child.

"Momma?... I'm fine... Yeah? ... Can I?... I promise... Okay, I will... I will... I will... Okay... Thanks Momma!" Yazoo handed the PHS back to its owner and said, "Momma wants to talk to you."

"Spike? Yeah, gotcha!... He's out on a mission... Yeah, yeah, I promise... I swear! Don't you believe me?..."

As Zack talked on the phone, Angeal wondered how his student even knew the child's mother (Angeal didn't even know Sephiroth had a lover! Or that the man wasn't asexual, for that matter), and continued to compare the child's appearance with his silver-haired friend.

Were all toddlers this... articulate? Or was it just the genes?

"Okay," Zack said, putting his PHS away. "Your ma's given her permission." His words made Yazoo brighten up. "Wanna walk, or do you want up?"

Wordlessly, Yazoo got off the bench and held his arms up to Zack. He was tired.

Zack got the message and picked him up and Yazoo promptly laid his head down and closed his eyes.

* * *

"-zoo... Yazoo... Yazoo," a voice called.

Yazoo opened his eyes and lifted his head.

"We're here, Buddy," Zack said. "You okay to walk now?"

Yazoo nodded, rubbing his eyes of sleep. Once he was placed down, Yazoo held his uncle's hand, not wanting to get lost in the enormous building.

They walked to into an elevator and waited to reach their floor.

Meanwhile, Yazoo turned his head to observe his uncle's companion who, strangely, looked like a bit like his uncle. He even had a big sword too.

The two stared at each other, observing. Angeal was still in a daze, wondering if he was seeing things. The child (Yazoo, was it?) looked like a mini-Sephiroth. They even had the same eyes! Angeal briefly wondered if the child's appearance was just a coincidence, but disregarded it. The two looked too much alike not to be related.

The two broke from their staring contest when the elevator rung and the doors opened up to their floor. The three got out and walked to an elaborate door. Without even bothering to knock, Zack pushed it open.

Angeal was about to reprimand his student for his rudeness, but was interrupted when the Vice President and his Turks just looked up and told them to lock the door, unfazed by the child's appearance.

The Vice President got up out of his chair, and the child quickly walked to up to the ShinRa as if he was familiar with the man.

Of course, it took everything Angeal had to refrain from gaping as the ShinRa hugged the child, the hood dropping to reveal silver hair. The Turks also ruffled the boy's hair fondly as they went into conversation.

The two SOLDIERS were dismissed, but before they left, Zack told them to call the boy's mother. The red-headed Turk casually told him not to worry and that they would call "Cloudy" since they didn't want a "mad chocobo" after them. Whatever that meant, Angeal didn't know, but he figured it had something to do with the boy's mother.

As the door closed, Angeal heard the child say that his "Papa was starting to teach him about guns." And Angeal wondered why Sephiroth wasn't teaching his child about swords instead.

The two reported back to Lazard. When the man raised a brow at their tardiness, Zack just casually said that they dropped off one of "Spike's kid" with the Vice President. When Lazard asked "which one," Zack just replied with "the quiet one."

The two SOLDIERS were dismissed after their report and went their separate ways.

Lost in thought, Angeal forgot to stop Zack from leaving to ask for an explanation for the entire situation. The SOLDIER First was left wondering just exactly how many people knew of Sephiroth's child and if he was the only one out of the loop.

By the time Genesis returned from his mission, Angeal was still absorbing the information that Sephiroth, _Sephiroth,_ of all people, had a _kid._

Pursing his lips, Angeal turned to his childhood friend, wondering...

"Say, Genesis..."

* * *

Meanwhile, a large amount of Midgar's female denizens were receiving the same text message.

_Attention all Silver Elite members! It has come to our attention..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, Lazard didn't remember his past lives. He's just met Cloud before.
> 
> Yeah, Rufus? Hugging Yazoo? OOC? Yeah, probably. But remember, he's one of Yazoo's favorite uncles, so they're bound to be close. Their affinity for guns doesn't hurt, either.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII
> 
> Warning: Fem!Cloud; Time Travel; OOCness
> 
> Un-Beta'd

When Angeal told him about the strange day he had, Genesis almost didn't believe him, but did anyway since his childhood friend was too honorable to lie about such a thing. The rumors he had overheard upon his return about a silver-haired child had also piqued his curiosity. He honestly couldn't imagine Sephiroth as a father. And he couldn't believe that the General didn't even bother to tell them, his best friends, about his child - let alone about the woman.

He would have thought that they were close enough for Sephiroth to tell them about such news!

Genesis had to see the child for himself, but alas, he was informed that the child had been picked up by the mother. So Genesis did the next best thing.

He cornered Sephiroth when the General came back from his mission.

Of course, like any sane best friend, Genesis couldn't believe it when Sephiroth had the _gall_ to act clueless. So in a true Genesis fashion, Sephiroth received the cold shoulder.

It eventually reached his ears that a certain puppy personally knew the child. So Genesis cornered him.

Zack offhandedly told him that " _of course_ he would know the kid" since he was the kid's "uncle." And Genesis wondered exactly _what_ was Sephiroth _thinking_ when he appointed Angeal's puppy as the "Uncle."

Genesis would've made a better uncle. Definitely.

And he wasn't jealous.

Really, he wasn't.

So he grit his teeth and asked (see demanded) _why_ a puppy like him would be the "Uncle."

Then the little upstart just blinked and said he was "Spikey's brother" before bidding the Commander good-bye to return to class.

And when he heard that, Genesis definitely did _not_ feel relief.

He didn't.

At. All.

Because he was never jealous in the first place.

Angeal found Genesis in a better mood. When asked why, Genesis told him that he had found out why the puppy knew the child in the first place: Zack was the child's uncle.

Angeal wryly said that he figured _that_ out when the boy repeatedly referred to his protégé as such. Genesis gave him a smug look.

"But you didn't know that he was the mother's brother now, did you?" the red-head said, before offhandedly saying that "Spikey" was such a strange name for a woman.

"Probably a nickname," Angeal reasoned.

A few weeks later, Sephiroth was out on another mission and Genesis was greeted with the sight of two small, hooded figures running around; a Turk was watching over in the corner of the room. Genesis stopped to observe them. After a moment, he was about to walk past them until he saw silver hair.

The smallest figure tackled the other one, causing their hoods to fall off.

Genesis was surprised. He thought he would never have the chance to see them. Although he had thought that there was only one...

He walked over to the children, catching their attention. He ignored the Turk's subtle tensing.

"Hi" the shorter one greeted.

"Hello there," he replied.

"Who are you?" the other one asked.

"I'm Genesis. Who are you two?"

"I'm Loz!" the taller one said.

"Kadaj!" the other one beamed.

Genesis noticed Kadaj looking at his sword.

"Are you like Uncle Zack?" the child asked.

"Yes, but I'm a SOLDER First," the man replied. "Zack is only a Second."

"You're sword's different," Loz said.

"How so?"

"Momma's and Uncle Zack's swords are really, really, really big!" Loz exclaimed.

Genesis raised a brow at that. Figures Sephiroth would go for a female swordsman. "What about your dad?"

The two blinked at him.

"Papa doesn't have a sword," Kadaj said.

Loz nodded. "He uses guns."

Genesis furrowed his brow in confusion. "What does your father look like?"

"He has really, really long hair," Kadaj said.

"He's really pale," Loz said.

"His coat covers half of his face most of the time," Kadaj said, slightly shocking Genesis with his articulation. But of course, only Sephiroth would have such articulate toddlers.

"Oh, and his hair's black."

"He's really tall."

"And his eyes are red."

"And they glow sometimes."

"And he's really quiet too."

Genesis blinked at the description. "Does he ... express himself?"

"Like if he smiles a lot?" Loz asked.

"Yeah..."

"No," Kadaj said. "Not really, but Mommy always knows what he's feeling."

"Yeah!" Loz agreed. "Even though his face looks the same most of the time."

Genesis looked thoughtful.

Did the General go out of his way to disguise himself?

The mako glow could probably show through contacts. His hair was obviously dyed, or a wig was worn. And he probably wore the coat to cover his face just in case anyone recognized him. The General wasn't a bad shot, either. He could pull off being a gunman.

And the way the kids described their father's personality, as childish as the description was, sounded just like Sephiroth. _The stoic prick,_ Genesis thought, amused. Genesis never imagined there would be a day that the General would go as far to disguise himself.

He really should have come to Genesis, the expert of theatre. Disguises were his forte, after all.

Genesis inwardly snickered. With that disguise, people probably thought the General was a vampire or something.

Out of the corner of his eye, Genesis saw the Turk shifting his attention to his ear device before calling out to the kids.

"Your mother's here," the Turk said.

Finally, Genesis could meet the woman herself.

He wanted to see who captured the asexual (not that he nor anyone else voiced it out) General's attention.

He dialed Angeal's PHS. He knew the man wanted to meet her too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those wondering why Kadaj is speaking so well at his age, please remember that the Remnants are aging a bit quicker than normal. Plus, I just can't type baby-talk.
> 
> Okay, so I know some people may be confused about who does and doesn't remember their past lives, so here's the list:
> 
> Cloud - remembers
> 
> Zack - remembers
> 
> Aerith - remembers
> 
> Tifa - remembers
> 
> Reeve - remembers
> 
> Rufus - remembers
> 
> Cid - remembers
> 
> Yuffie - remembers
> 
> Vincent - remembers
> 
> Barret - remembers
> 
> Turks (Reno, Rude, Elena, Tseng, etc.) - remembers
> 
> Sephiroth - remembers
> 
> Nanaki - remembers
> 
> Buganhagen - remembers
> 
> Minerva/Planet/Gaia - remembers
> 
> Angeal - doesn't remember
> 
> Genesis - doesn't remember
> 
> President ShinRa - doesn't remember
> 
> Mrs. Strife/Neibelheim villagers - doesn't remember
> 
> Hojo - doesn't remember
> 
> Jenova - doesn't remember
> 
> Lucrecia -doesn't remember
> 
> Remnants (Kadaj, Loz, Yazoo) - doesn't remember
> 
> So basically, the Planet/Goddess, AVALANCHE, Rufus and his Turks, and Sephiroth are the only ones who remember. Everyone else doesn't. If I forgot someone on the list, I'll add them in once I remember or when someone reminds me/asks me about them.
> 
> But seriously, you guys are awesome. I didn't expect anyone to even like this story. Especially since I'm just experimenting with the writing style o.O
> 
> And as I've said before, this really has no plot whatsoever. I just found that I don't get mauled by rabid Plotbunnies if I actually write them out before they become rabid.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII
> 
> Warning: Fem!Cloud; Time Travel; OOCness
> 
> Un-Beta'd

Angeal met up with Genesis and the kids (and the Turk) on the way to the lobby. Needless to say, when the man saw the two kids, Angeal couldn't help but stare in surprise.

Genesis saw his expression and asked why Angeal looked so shocked when he already knew about the kids.

"I thought there was only one," Angeal said in a daze.

Kadaj saw him and the nice man talk and decided to pipe out a "Hi." Mother had said it was good manners to greet people.

Angeal blinked at the boy, surprised he was even talking to him. "Hello."

"Who are you?" Loz asked.

"I'm Angeal," he said. The shock was slowly wearing off.

"You are?!" Loz exclaimed. "Uncle Zack talks about you a lot!"

Angeal raised a brow. "Really? What does he say?"

"He said you have a big sword, but you like to fight with your fists!" Loz was so giddy.

"Wow," Genesis said, amused. "He's really excited. Is he a fan?"

Genesis could hardly believe the boy was Sephiroth's with the way he was acting. He would pay to see the General act as excited as the boy in front of him.

"Loz doesn't like fighting with weapons." Kadaj said. "He prefers fighting with his fists."

Angeal raised a brow. He should have known Sephiroth's children would be well spoken.

"What about you?" Genesis asked, curious.

"I wanna learn to use swords like Mommy and Uncle Zack!" Kadaj said. "Yazoo likes guns."

Genesis furrowed his brow at the unfamiliar name. "Who?"

"He's our brother!" Loz said.

"He's the one I told you about," Angeal said. "The one Zack and I found that time."

"So there's three of you?" Genesis asked, receiving a nod from the boys.

Sephiroth had a lot of explaining to do. He hid not only one, but _three_ from his best friends! Or rather, four, if they counted the woman.

By the time the two SOLDIERS, the children, and the Turk arrived at the lobby, they were greeted with the sight of Zack, the Vice President, a Turk, and a young blond woman. The woman looked to be in her late teens-early twenties. She sported spiky hair that vaguely resembled that of a chocobo and carried a strange-looking broad sword strapped to her back. Strangely, she also had blue eyes that shone of mako.

At that instant, the two boys bolted towards the group and latched onto the woman's legs.

The Turk made his way to the group with the two SOLDIERS following his lead.

Meanwhile, Genesis recognized the woman as the same person who delivered him his cure on the battlefield, and remembered her sitting in the negotiations in Wutai. He told this to Angeal. Now, if only he could remember her name...

"Rude," the woman greeted the Turk. She received a nod in reply.

"Oh! Angeal! Gen!" the puppy exclaimed. "Hi!"

"Zack," they replied.

"Spike, this is Angeal, my mentor," Zack introduced.

"Nice to meet you," Angeal said.

"And this is Genesis!" Zack continued.

"A pleasure," Genesis said.

They both received a nod in response. Briefly, they couldn't help but think how similar she was with Sephiroth.

The Vice President broke in. "Do you have it?"

The woman, "Spike" gave Rufus a look before handing over a parcel. Rufus opened it to reveal a gun.

Surprised, Angeal and Genesis tensed at the sight of the weapon, but relaxed when nothing happened.

The young ShinRa took the gun and examined it. For a brief moment, a short beep sounded and a green screen appeared on the handle of the gun, before disappearing again.

"Let's test it out, shall we?" Rufus placed it in a holster and walked away. The group followed.

They reached a training area with targets lined up along the wall. Rufus took out the gun, aimed, and fired.

The target, along with three feet of the surrounding area were completely obliterated. Only ashes remained.

"As expected," the ShinRa said. "Perfect as usual."

"Holy Shi-!" Rude covered Reno's mouth. The red-headed Turk looked to Cloud's direction and saw her glare, and remembered the chibi Remnants were present. "Thanks," he murmured to his partner when Rude finally let go.

"You're welcome," said Rude. The duo remembered all too well what had happened to Cid when Yazoo had asked Cloud what the word "fuck" meant.

"That thing was loaded?!" Reno's eyes bulged. "That thing could'a gone off, yo!"

"It wouldn't have," Cloud said. "It activated when it scanned Rufus' hand." She turned to the ShinRa. "You're the only one who can use it."

"The ammo?" Rufus questioned.

"It uses the same bullets as before, before I... tinkered with it," Cloud informed. "Slotting materia wouldn't hurt, either."

Rufus raised a brow. "I don't doubt it."

"But seriously," Reno interrupted, "you gotta update my EMR, yo!"

Cloud pursed her lips and said, "No way." She only updated Rufus' gun as payment for watching Yazoo last time and for babysitting Loz and Kadaj.

"Wait," Genesis interrupted gesturing to the gun. " _You're_ the one who made _that_?"

"Yes." Short and to the point.

"Spikey made her sword too, ya know!" Zack boasted, bringing the Firsts' attention to the strange sword on her back.

"And that sick motorcycle of hers too, yo!" Reno turned to Cloud again. "What about the helicopter, yo?"

"No."

As Reno pestered her, Cloud soon felt a tug on her pant leg.

"Mommy," Kadaj called. "Are you gonna make one for Yazoo?"

"What?" Cloud crouched down, confused. "What gave you that idea?"

Angeal and Genesis observed her. Kadaj had just confirmed that she was the mother.

All they knew so far was that she and Zack were related and she could presumably build and create weapons and, if the Turk was correct, vehicles. And that she was as short-spoken as the General. And according to what Genesis had observed, was on extremely good terms with the Kisaragi's - and Wutai in general.

Kadaj and Loz, somehow getting the idea that Yazoo would be getting a gun, soon started going on about getting their own "presents" from Cloud. Flabbergasted, Cloud kept silent, not knowing what to do, though she did glare at Reno for starting the mess she was in.

Surprisingly, it was Rufus who saved her from her children.

"Now that we're done here, we'll escort you out," Rufus said.

Cloud nodded and pulled the boys' hoods on. As the group walked back to the lobby, Reno kept pestering Cloud in vain to "update" his EMR or helicopter or build him a motorcycle like her Fenrir. He was primly ignored.

When they finally reached the lobby, they spotted a plump, blond man chatting with what seemed like his business associates. It was president ShinRa.

Cloud stiffened when the man turned his gaze towards them. "Oh boy," she muttered, unintentionally drawing the two SOLDIER Firsts' attention.

The president excused himself from his colleagues to walk towards the group.

"Cloud Strife?" he scrutinized. "Is that you?"

"...Yes, sir."

Suddenly, the man's countenance changed.

"Cloud!" he laughed. "I haven't seen you since you were a babe, my girl! How've you been?"

The two Firsts could see that the now identified "Cloud Strife" was uncomfortable.

"I've been well."

"Good. Good," he nodded. "And your mother?"

With that question, Angeal and Genesis briefly wondered if Cloud was like Lazard. They could see the resemblance between her and the two ShinRa's.

"She's well."

"Lovely," he said, clasping his hands together. "I see you've been in contact with Rufus?"

"...Yes, sir."

"Well," he looked to his son. "Let's see it." Wordlessly, Rufus handed showed the gun to his father. "How was it?"

"Brilliant as usual," Rufus reported in satisfaction.

President ShinRa nodded as if he expected such. He turned back to Cloud. "Are you sure you don't want to join the company, my dear? We can make room in the Weapons Department."

Cloud shook her head. "I'm sure, sir."

"C'mon Cloudy!" Reno slugged an arm around her shoulder. "You'd be a lot better than Scarlet!"

Rufus and Reno (especially Reno) had asked Cloud to join the ShinRa company a few thousand times - the majority of it was by Reno - in their multiple lives, to replace Scarlet since Cloud was apparently better at creating and designing weapons.

Plus, Reno had reasoned, Cloud didn't have an annoying laugh. If she ever laughed at all, that is.

She always turned the offer down.

Angeal and Genesis were surprised when the president didn't refute the claim and ignored Reno's rudeness.

"No need to be so formal, my dear," President ShinRa said, ignoring the Turk. "Call me properly."

Cloud hesitated.

"Yes... Uncle."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, my muse died at the end, so please forgive the choppiness of it. I was gonna make it longer, but... Nah. I'm making y'all wait 'cause I'm evil like that. Plus it's past midnight and I'm not thinking straight.
> 
> I can't remember if Angeal and Genesis knew Lazard was an illegitimate ShinRa, but in this story, they do.
> 
> Now, for those wondering why President ShinRa expected Cloud to make a "brilliant" weapon when he supposedly hasn't seen her since she was born, he's seen the stuff Cloud had previously made for Rufus. And he's been in contact with Cloud's mother.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII
> 
> Warning: Fem!Cloud; Time Travel; OOCness
> 
> Un-Beta'd

"Well," Genesis blinked. "That was unexpected."

Figures Sephiroth would aim so high.

President ShinRa finally looked down and saw two hooded children clinging to his niece's legs.

With the president's arrival, Kadaj and Loz had felt their mother's discomfort, and remained silent. They warily took in the strange man's appearance and his familiar attitude with their mother.

"Who're these?" the president questioned - because ShinRa never asked, they questioned. "Are these my grandnephews?" When he saw Cloud stiffen, he said, "Don't be so surprised. Did you really think I wouldn't keep in touch with your mother? I would never leave my sister with those Neanderthals without any means of communication."

When neither Cloud nor the boys moved, he made a "come here" motion with his hand.

Wordlessly, Cloud unwillingly pushed her equally unwilling boys in front and dropped their hoods. The man analyzed them, seemingly unsurprised by their appearance. The boys quickly replaced their hoods at his unwavering gaze, and promptly hid behind their mother once more.

"I must say," the president started, "Skye certainly wasn't lying. They definitely look like their father. How did you two meet again?"

Cloud couldn't hide a grimace and didn't answer. The president and the two Firsts waited.

"Spikey threw him in a reactor," Zack blurted out.

Angeal and Genesis whipped their heads back to Zack and stared. Zack was surprised they didn't get a whiplash, but then again, mako would have fixed it. " _What?!_ " the Firsts asked in unison. When he didn't answer, Angeal, Genesis, and the president looked to Cloud.

"What?" Cloud asked when she noticed the stares. "He threw a tantrum," she said, drawing raised brows, "and burned down my house!"

"So you threw him in a reactor," Genesis deadpanned. Throwing him into a vat of mako would have surely caught the General's attention.

"To be fair, he did stab her," Zack defended.

"And that was only the _first_ time, yo!," Reno chortled.

"What?" Genesis said, incredulous.

"What do you mean by 'first'?" Angeal questioned. "Did this happen more than once?"

"Well," Zack blinked, "yeah."

"Whenever they saw each other, they ended up fighting," said Reno. "Pretty sure they've thrown each other into a few mako springs durin' their spats, yo."

"Yeah," Zack reminisced. "They sure changed the landscape a lot. Phew! Those Summons and materia really pack a punch!" Zack laughed. "Scared all the monsters away with all the mayhem they were dishing out!"

Angeal didn't know what to say to that. "...and, they ended up together... _how?"_

"Psh! I dunno, man," Reno shrugged. "Maybe the guy gets turned on by violence, yo."

Genesis blanched and endeavored to never again drag their sparring sessions on any longer than necessary.

"I am _not_ together with that troll," Cloud firmly corrected.

"And yet you had three kids with him," Rufus smirked.

Oh how Cloud wanted to punch him. He knew damn well she hadn't birthed the three.

"Shut. Up," she said in a low voice.

"Where's the other one?" President ShinRa suddenly questioned. "Skye said you had three."

"...He's with Vincent."

"'Vincent'?" the president furrowed his brow in thought. "Vincent who?"

"Vincent Valentine."

The man tried to remember why the name sounded rather familiar. "Valentine...Valentine...Sounds familiar..."

"He was Veld's partner, yo," Reno quipped.

"Ah, yes! I remember him," the president nodded. "Wasn't he MIA?"

"I found him locked in a coffin in the mansion's basement."

The two SOLDIER Firsts looked lost in the conversation.

"He was a Turk," Zack said helpfully.

"Not just _'a_ Turk'," Reno interrupted. "He was _the_ Turk. He's _legendary_ amongst us Turks, yo." At the two Firsts' blank expressions, he elaborated. "He was Veld's partner. If he hadn't disappeared, he would'a been the Head Turk instead'a Veld, yo!" and blah, blah, blah. Reno then went on and on about Vincent's prowess like a fanboy, despite having known the man for several lives.

"So," Genesis interrupted, having gotten tired of the endless tirade, "in other words, he's like the Sephiroth of the Turks."

"No," Reno corrected, "Sephiroth's like the Vincent of the SOLDIERs. 'Cause, I mean, he _is_ the General's dad, yo."

Angeal stopped. "What? Could you repeat that?"

"I said, 'Sephiroth's like th-"

"Not that!" Genesis interrupted. "Who did you say he was?"

Reno smirked impishly. "I said, 'He was _the_ Turk' and that he's lege-"

"By the Goddess!" Cloud interrupted, wanting to be done with it. "Just tell them!"

Reno pouted. "Aw, you're such a party pooper, Cloudy! Fine," he huffed, "Valentine's the General's dad."

"Is that right?" The president raised a brow. "It makes sense. He was one of the best in the field. He was assigned to be one of the scientists' bodyguard, if I remember correctly."

"Dr. Crescent," Rude said.

"She was Seph's mom," Zack said helpfully. "Oh, and Hojo's wife."

"He has a _wife_?" Genesis said incredulously. ("Had," Zack corrected in the background.) "Who would marry _him?_ "

"Really, despite not knowing what this Vincent Valentine looks like," Angeal said, "I can see why she would stray."

"Wanna see a picture?" Zack offered as he took out his PHS. "I have some on my PHS."

"You have his picture?" Genesis raised a brow.

"Well, yeah," Zack blinked. "I _do_ know the guy."

The Firsts along with the president gathered around Zack to see his PHS. Zack scrolled through his device to show them pictures of a man in red ("At least he has good taste," Genesis commented). In most of the pictures, the man's face was obscured by his coat. There were some, however, that showed his full face.

"Are these recent?" Genesis asked, to which Zack replied with a "yup."

"He hasn't aged a day," the president commented.

"I can see the resemblance," Angeal said thoughtfully.

Genesis stared at the PHS. The man looked awfully like what the boys described their father to look like. He thought back to when he had cornered the General about his rumored child. The man had seemed clueless at the time. Perhaps he hadn't been lying... Did Sephiroth truly not know?

"Why does Valentine have my other grandnephew?" President ShinRa questioned.

("He's the kid's grandpa, sheesh," Zack muttered.)

Cloud pursed her lips. "Vincent's starting him on real guns." Because of that, Cloud had to take Kadaj and Loz elsewhere. She didn't want them getting any ideas and start playing with the guns. Besides, they would start asking her for lessons too. Loz was starting to learn from Tifa, but Kadaj was still too small to handle even a practice sword. And Goddess knew how jealous the smallest could get.

The president "ahh"ed and suggested that the boy would make a fine addition to the Turks, if he was anything like his grandfather.

Cloud didn't like that at all.

Her boys would have nothing to do with ShinRa if she could help it. But alas, they were already in ShinRa's sights - if not for her connection to the company, then surely by Sephiroth's or Vincent's. All she could do was deter them from working for the company. And maybe erase Hojo from existance if the mad scientist ever got any ideas. She didn't care if Vincent had dibs on the man, he'd have the next life to deal with Hojo if the scientist decided her babies would be his next specimens.

Goddess knew how protective a mother chocobo could get.

Cloud's Sephiroth sensor was beginning to tingle. She quickly rounded up the kids, placed their hoods on, and excused herself and her children from their company, but not before President ShinRa made her agree to attend the ShinRa anniversary party with her mother, Vincent, and all three Remnants.

In her haste, Cloud quickly agreed, not hearing what the man had asked (see demanded) of her.

It was only when she and the children arrived back in Neibelheim did she recall what she had agreed to.

And boy did she regret it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, Cloud has a Sephy radar :P All those times tracking him and later on avoiding him all together has given her that sixth sense :P
> 
> In one of the previous chapters, it mentioned Vincent had started teaching Yazoo about guns. Now, Yazoo is starting with the real things. Loz is starting his martial arts with Tifa, so Kadaj is the only one who's not learning to fight yet since he's still physically too small.
> 
> In case I wasn't clear in this chapter, since Vincent was starting Yazoo with real guns, Cloud took the other two away so they don't interfere with Yazoo's training and accidentally injure themselves.
> 
> The Turks babysat Kadaj and Loz while Cloud was working on Rufus' gun. The three stayed at ShinRa but kids thought Cloud was away making deliveries for the past few days, but she was really in the same building, using the workshops to work on the gun.
> 
> Yes, I've always imagined Cloud to be a prodigy in weapon designing/inventing as a mechanic, so I figure updating a gun would be easy for her (especially with Vincent for company, I'm sure she learned a thing or two about guns). I mean, look at First Tsurugi and Fenrir! Canon!Cloud made them from scratch and designed them himself! And Fenrir can drive itself.
> 
> For those of you who didn't get it, Skye is Mrs. Strife's fanon name. In my story, she also happens to be President ShinRa's sister, making Cloud, Rufus, and Lazard cousins.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII
> 
> Warning: Fem!Cloud; Time Travel; OOCness
> 
> Un-Beta'd

* * *

When Sephiroth returned from his mission, his Cloud-detector had gone off. And with that, he jumped off the helicopter, ignoring the infantrymen's startled yelps.

Unfortunately, it seemed as if his Cloud had sensed him as well. By the time he got to the ShinRa building – the place where his Cloud's presence had originated – she was already gone.

Instead, only Angeal, Genesis, Zack, two Turks, and the two ShinRa's were standing in the lobby.

His Puppet had escaped him _again_.

The President greeted him and scrutinized his appearance, as if judging him in a different light, before nodding to himself and leaving without another word. The Vice President just nodded to him in greeting before leaving with his Turks to "experiment with his new gun."

Zack and the other two SOLDIERS welcomed him back, though Angeal and Genesis had a rather odd expression on their faces.

"Sephiroth," Genesis started as they headed out of the lobby and into the main building, "do you know a Cloud Strife?"

The General turned to his red-clad friend and nodded. "Yes," he said. "We've… met. How do _you_ know her?"

"She was here just before you came," Angeal answered.

"I met her in Wutai," Genesis said casually. "Twice, in fact. She gave me something the first time." Genesis took note of Sephiroth's subtle tensing and the, dare he say, _jealous_ gleam in the General's eyes. "I saw her again in the Kisaragi palace."

"That is of no surprise," Sephiroth said. "I recall that she is close with the Wutaian princess."

Angeal raised a brow at that. "Even though she's the President's niece?" He only got a nod in reply from the General and a shrug from Zack.

"She left rather quickly," Genesis said, observing his silver haired friend. "I wonder why..."

At that moment, Zack decided to speak up, hands on the back of his head.

"You know," the puppy started, amused, "if you want Spikey to stop avoiding you, you really should stop messing with her."

He was ignored. Sephiroth had no intention to stop seeing his little Puppet.

"How long have you two known each other?" Angeal asked. "Zachary said she threw you in a… reactor," Angeal said, disbelieving his own words, "when you two first met."

Sephiroth raised a brow at Zack, who only smiled unrepentantly, before turning back to the two Firsts' curious faces. "Yes, that is true," he said, not at all embarrassed at the admission. "And I've known Cloud for… a rather long time. Long before I met either of you."

Which was technically true, with the exception of his original life.

The two Commanders had nothing to say to that, probably believing that the Reactor Incident had happened when the General was just a child. It was a logical conclusion. After all, Sephiroth had met the two Banora natives in his early teens in all of his lives.

And really, it _was_ true.

Sephiroth had snuck into Neibelheim as a child, without Hojo's consent, and then had proceeded to antagonize the blond child, only to be pushed into the reactor by a toddler-Cloud.

Needless to say, Hojo had been upset with him, though Sephiroth hadn't cared. He had successfully occupied his Cloud's thoughts after that affair.

Plus, he had gotten acquainted with his Cloud's mother as well. The woman had never minded whenever he dropped by to antagonize Cloud, although whenever he did, he always arrived just when Cloud had left for a delivery. She had apparently found his efforts to "gain [her] daughter's attention" to be adorable, or something along those lines.

Of course, his Cloud's mother was the reason he knew about those stupid fiancés in the first place.

When Zack had started on again about his Puppet's avoidance, Genesis took over, exclaiming that with Sephiroth's "social retardation," he, the great Genesis Rhapsodos, would be taking it upon himself to teach the General "the fine art of wooing women."

Because apparently, Sephiroth was _obviously_ trying to catch the young woman's attention the wrong way. Genesis, and apparently Angeal, had most-likely reached that conclusion with Zack chatting away and telling the two about the many instances "Seph pushed Spikey too far" and how "Spikey started avoiding Seph" because the General always (figuratively) "pulled her pigtails" whenever they crossed paths.

Of course, it probably didn't help when Zack decided to tell the two Firsts about the various times the General decided to… _confront_ Cloud's fiancés.

And somewhere along the way, Angeal had come to the conclusion that Sephiroth had "not taken responsibility." For what, Sephiroth had no clue, but it didn't stop Angeal from lecturing him about shirking his "responsibilities," whatever they were.

The General had an idea that Angeal's sudden sermon had something to do with his Puppet.

This just happened to spur Genesis on even more about teaching the General how to "woo a woman properly" so that Sephiroth could "win her back."

Zack,on the other hand, wasn't helping at all. The puppy was off to the side, vainly trying to hide his snickers and muttering something about how he had to "tell Aerith about this."

Honestly, he had no idea what they were on about. He did have the slight suspicion, however, that it had something to do with those messages Cloud's mother kept sending him and the look the President had given him earlier.

So Sephiroth decided to just go with it.

Resisting Genesis' whims was futile. Especially when the red Commander was motivated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Angeal has come to the conclusion that Cloud's dislike of Sephiroth is based on the assumption that Sephiroth "didn't take responsibility" for supposedly impregnating Cloud. Multiple times. And thus, the lecture.
> 
> Genesis thinks that Sephiroth either knows about the kids and just passed them off to his father, Vincent (which is why Cloud dislikes him), or that Sephiroth truly doesn't know about the kids because he wronged Cloud somehow (and probably by accident because the General's socially stunted).
> 
> The President was giving Seph the look-over because after finally seeing his darling niece's kids, he finally believed his sister's claims that her daughter had the General's children. So he was kinda judging Seph in a new light – not as a useful tool/SOLDIER, but as an in-law.
> 
> Mama Strife had been in contact with Sephiroth. She really believed that he and Cloud were in a relationship so she told him about the fiancés the village was forcing on her baby. She's also been sending him letters about the kids, but she didn't say any names and worded everything rather vaguely, having been told about Hojo, so she wrote it in a way that only people "in the know" would understand. But since he didn't know, Seph didn't really understand what the hell she was talking about.
> 
> Plus, Mama Strife thought Cloud and Sephiroth were keeping the kids and the supposed "relationship" secret since Cloud and the others never let the kids go out without a hood on, and Sephiroth hasn't exactly openly visited.
> 
> ...
> 
> Sigh. Gosh, that was such a long A/N. Sorry for the chapter's choppiness.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII
> 
> Warning: Fem!Cloud; Time Travel; OOCness
> 
> Un-Beta'd

Cloud was, to say, completely and utterly. Freaked. Out.

The first time it had happened, she had been wary. Wondering what on Gaia Sephiroth was up to.

The second time it had happened, she hadn't let her guard down, suspecting Sephiroth to have something up his sleeve.

By the fifth time, Cloud was sure that it was a trick – albeit a very, very, _very_ strange one, but a trick nonetheless. She was sure Sephiroth was trying to unnerve her, or at least, make her lower her guard.

If that was his goal, then he had utterly failed. Miserably. It just had strengthened her resolve to keep her guard up.

It had crossed her mind that this was his new form of trolling.

Needless to say, she had to applaud him if that was his goal – which she was certain it was.

By the twentieth time, Cloud was sure she was about to have a mental break down. She had no clue how to handle Sephiroth's suddenly _horrifying_ change in personality.

Cloud Strife – slayer of Sephiroth, child of Skye Strife nee ShinRa, and favorite plaything of Fate, Gaia, Minerva, or whatever entity was responsible for her misery – was now, with all her might, trying to avoid (see run away) from the hailed General like a fugitive. And if that didn't work, hiding was also an option.

Even if that meant crawling inside of a carcass in hopes of not being found.

After all, it wasn't paranoia if they were out to get you.

Of course, for some strange reason, he'd always, _always_ find her.

But for now, there was Aerith's church, and Cloud was desperately sure, or at least vainly hoping, Sephiroth wouldn't go there.

"Hide me!" Cloud cried in desperation, clutching the Cetra's hands.

But it was too late.

"Cloud!" called that _horrifyingly_ familiar voice. "My sweet! How I have missed you!" His voice echoed in the church, growing louder as he strode into the building.

Cloud hid behind Aerith, shamelessly using her friend as a barrier between her nemesis and herself. To her horror, Aerith did nothing but cheerfully step – no, _skip –_ aside when the silver haired man neared to take Cloud's hands in his.

Cloud could only look on in horror as Sephiroth spoke words that _Sephiroth_ , of all people, should _not_ be saying to _her_ , of all people.

That tenderness, those romantic words, those _bouquets of roses_ that he had lately been gifting her, and those _endless_ calls and texts he had been sending.

How in Hel's name had he even found out her number? Cloud had been changing her PHS number _daily_ ever since this imposter had taken to _stalking_ her!

Maybe she should start changing her PHS too...

Not for the first time, Cloud wondered just who in Hel's name this imposter was, what the _fuck_ had Sephiroth been smoking - no, what the _fuck_ had Hojo been lacing Sephiroth's mako with, and what _messed up reality_ had she been thrown in!

And Odin help her, why the _hell_ was Aerith just standing there, _giggling?_ Why wasn't Aerith helping her?!

Cloud was so out it and willing to do just about anything to be rid of the imposter's presence, she didn't realize what she had agreed to.

As soon as she had given her assent to whatever it was he had said to her, Sephiroth had suddenly acquired a pleased look - a _very_ pleased look. He kissed her hand, bid her goodbye, and left without another word.

Bewildered at his sudden exit, Cloud wasn't sure if she should be pleased or worried that the man had left so suddenly.

When Aerith had squealed and started going on about how they just _had_ to go shopping to get her "ready," Cloud decided that yes, she should be worried.

Very, very worried indeed.

_What the hell had she done?_

But if anything, at least he hadn't started serenading... That was a good thing... right?

_Right?_

* * *

There were times in which Cloud had regretted making certain choices or agreeing to certain things.

Like for instance, the time she had hastily agreed to attend the ShinRa party just so she and her sons could leave before Sephiroth arrived. Or that time she had caved into sexual frustration and ended up spending an entire lifetime as Sephiroth's "wife" – and although she never regretted having those children, she did still somewhat regret not being male anymore.

There was also the time where she had (reluctantly) agreed to play dress-up with her mother and ended up forgetting her mother's presence when a child-Sephiroth appeared taunt her, pinching her then chubby cheeks, and literally pulling on her pigtails to get her to tear up. Needless to say, they fought, she won (or _would have_ if her mother hadn't interrupted). And to Cloud's horror, Skye had thought Sephiroth was just the most _adorable_ little boy she had ever seen, fussing over them as Sephiroth bathed in Skye's affection. After that, the silver haired child popped up in her home much too often for Cloud's taste. It was only when Cloud got older was she finally able to escape his presence with the excuse of delivering packages.

Though Cloud admitted to herself that she probably shouldn't have left her mother at Sephiroth's mercy so many times, regardless how much Skye enjoyed his company. Her mother had started acting strange: muttering to herself about future grandchildren, and trying to coerce a teenaged Cloud into enduring a teenaged Sephiroth's presence.

Cloud had an inkling that that incident, along with Sephiroth's brainwashing methods, was the reason that Skye wouldn't believe the Remnants weren't Clouds. Skye had always cooed to the babies about how she "just knew they would end up together" because of certain signs she had seen from Sephiroth and Cloud and something about pigtails.

Cloud was glad her mother hadn't been there for the previous confrontation when she had shoved Sephiroth into the reactor just a couple months prior.

And there was also that time when she had consulted her mother a few weeks ago about what to do in regards to Sephiroth's sudden change in personality. At the strange gleam in her mother's eyes, Cloud knew she should have never said anything. If anything, it had probably just cemented whatever theory Skye had of her and Sephiroth.

At the moment, Cloud was now regretting tuning out Sephiroth in the church. The current scene was much too reminiscent of a certain mortifying quest in her first life.

"What about this one?" Aerith pulled out a familiar purple dress. "Oh hey!" the Cetra exclaimed once she saw the purple monstrosity. Aerith looked at Cloud, eyes twinkling in mischief, "Doesn't this look familiar?"

And not for the first time, Cloud want to burn that dress into ashes. Especially with Aerith pushing her to wear it.

And if Aerith wanted her to buy it, Cloud would be more than happy to. If only to rid the world of the monstrosity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Cloud, her mental health's taken a toll at Sephiroth's OCCness. Of course, she doesn't know it's Genesis' fault or that Zack and Aerith were in on it :P


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII
> 
> Warning: Fem!Cloud (why am I still saying this?); Troll!Seph; Time-Travel; OOCness
> 
> Un-Beta'd

Sephiroth sauntered away from the Cetra's church with a smirk, very pleased with himself.

When he had first started "properly" courting his puppet at the urging of his two friends, Sephiroth had felt rather foolish. Of course, that was quickly washed away when he saw his puppet's expression of confusion and wariness.

He had found it amusing.

When he persisted with his courtship, his puppet's expressions evolved from 'confused' and 'wary' to 'paranoia' to 'I'm-approaching-a-mental-breakdown.' Needless to say, the entertainment he got out of her reactions was priceless.

So he persisted until it got to the point in which she thought crawling into a Zolom's carcass was a good idea.

But really, he couldn't be blamed for his actions.

It was all Genesis' and Zack's fault, really. They were the ones who told him to give her roses and serenade her and speak to her in that foolish, overly dramatic manner of speech.

The fact that his Cloud's reactions were so entertaining that Sephiroth couldn't help but push her into entertaining him even more, was not his fault. Really. He just couldn't help it.

If Cloud had to blame someone, it should be Genesis and her brother. Not Sephiroth.

He was as much of a victim in this as she was. The only difference was that he received entertainment from Cloud.

So it really wasn't Sephiroth's fault that he noticed his puppet was too busy looking horrified to pay attention to him. And it really wasn't his fault when he saw an opportunity to get something out of her. And really, it wasn't his fault that she agreed to his proposal without hearing what he had said.

He wouldn't have had to resort to such drastic measures if Cloud had stopped attracting those pathetic insects that called themselves men. Of course, if his Cloud was as socially stunted as she's always been, she probably hadn't even noticed the parasites.

Imagining Cloud's reaction to when she realized what she had agreed to made Sephiroth smirk.

He couldn't wait to see her reaction when she found out.

In the meantime, he had to acquire a PHS for his little ones. Secretly, of course. Wouldn't want Cloud to find out, after all.

As Sephiroth headed back to the ShinRa building, he let out a chuckle.

Did she really think he wouldn't find out about the Remnants? Her face when she finds out!

He couldn't wait to see it.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII
> 
> Warning: Possible OOCness; Hojo makes an appearance
> 
> Un-Beta’d

There had been rumors flying around. Of course, usually, a man such as Hojo would not bother with such drivel. However, said rumors involved his most prized specimen. Now, Hojo had heard more than enough rumors surrounding his test subject, but this was different.

His greatest creation, if the rumors were to be believed, had _offspring._ And, to pique his interest, the mother of said offspring was reportedly _alive_ and _healthy_.

_How intriguing._

The scientist wondered how it was possible. When he had conducted experiments regarding the possible gene propagation of his masterpiece, all of the female carriers had died. Not a single one had even made it to term. When he tried to manually fertilize harvested eggs with his specimen's harvested sperm, the eggs died - killed from the inside out by its invaders.

There was just too much mako, Hojo hypothesized. The eggs (and the women) had died of mako poisoning.

The fact that his most prized specimen had offspring at all should, by all means, have been impossible.

_Unless..._

_The mother... Perhaps she was a Cetra?_

Hojo didn't care. There was no point in needless hypothesizes when he could figure it out with new test subjects.

All he had to do was capture his new specimens. It shouldn't be too difficult for those stupid Turks to do, he figured. After all, silver hair wasn't all that common to begin with.

Hojo filled out the mission request form and had one of his useless assistants run up to the head Turk's office to turn it in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep. Short chapter, but don't worry. The continuation should be up sooner than later. Thanks to some lovely prompts by some lovely people (on both tumblr and on FF.net), I've found where I am going with this fic! Eh...So far at least.
> 
> So please, keep sending me prompts! Most of the time my muse get paralyzed with rabid plotbunnies (who I swear are descended from the Rabbit of Caerbannog or something).
> 
> Prompts help my muse.
> 
> Please take a look at the poll on my profile on FF.net. Thanks.
> 
> ...
> 
> Oh, and I also have to warn you guys. Once September comes, I will not be able to update anymore. For possibly 5 years. You see, I've enlisted in my country's Navy, and I will be shipping off on the 2nd of September, and my contract is for 5 years.
> 
> If I end up liking it, I (and I quite possibly believe this will happen) will extend my contract.
> 
> I will have a lot of down time, however, since my country's military encourages its personnel into attending college and whatnot. I may be able to update/write during that time; however, I very much doubt I will since I will be making use of that time to attend school.
> 
> So you guys might want to take advantage of this time to send me any prompts you have, since I will be working on those a lot before I have to ship out.
> 
> Till then, depending on how many prompts I get, you guys will see me updating quite a bit.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII
> 
> Warning: mentions of fem!Cloud; possible OOCness; Reno has horrible grammar
> 
> Un-Beta'd

Reno stared at the form in front of him, and back to Tseng.

"Uh... is dis a joke?" Reno deadpanned. "'Cause if it is, your sense a' humor sucks."

Tseng met Reno's eyes with a blank look. "No, it isn't a joke, I'm afraid."

"Ehehe... You're still not mad 'bout dat coffee machine thing, right?" Reno slowly started backing away, but to his horror, Tseng took two steps forward for every step Reno took backwards. "Whelp," Reno said, his hand finally touching the door handle, "I'm on vacation-"

"No you're not," Tseng frowned.

Reno ignored him. "-so... good luck wi' dat."

And he bolted.

Tseng followed.

* * *

Reno ran as fast as he could, dodging human obstacles on his way to the Vice President's office. Along the way, Tseng had recruited several other Turks into chasing him (the traitors!).

_BAM!_

"Boss-man!" Reno swiftly turned to slam the door in the other Turks' faces, locking it with a loud _click._

"Yes, Reno?" Rufus drawled, not looking up from his paperwork.

"Ya' gotta help me!" Reno cried. "Tseng's tryin' ta' kill me, yo!"

_BAM!_

Rufus looked up to see Reno's pitiful face. "I'm sure you deserve it," he said unsympathetically.

_BAM!_

"But I din' do nuthin' this time!" Reno whined. "An' he's gonna doom me for a hundred lives, yo! S'not cool!"

"Oh?" Rufus motioned for the Turk to continue, now interested in his plight.

"Yeah! Cloudy's gonna slaughter me if he has his way! If not her, then Zack or Seph will!"

_BOOM!_

Reno turned in horror. The door was in smithereens, and there was Tseng and the others, walking in as if they hadn't just bombed the door open.

"My apologies," Tseng said. "I'll have the door replaced."

Rufus just nodded and said to Reno, "That's coming out of your paycheck."

"WHAT?" Reno yelped. "WHY? I ain't da' one who bombed da' door, yo!"

"Yes, that may be true," Rufus said, "but they wouldn't have done it if you hadn't locked the door in the first place."

"Oh, stop being a baby, Reno," Cissnei huffed. "You were the one complaining about not getting any interesting missions."

"An' I said 'interestin',' not suicidal!" Reno snapped.

"There's really no such thing as 'suicide' anymore, now is there?" Cissnei quipped.

"Ya' know what I mean!"

As the two argued, Rufus took the time to read over the assignment Tseng handed to him.

"I see," Rufus frowned.

"Should we ignore it?" Tseng inquired.

"Hmm... No. Hojo's been becoming an even bigger nuisance." He handed the paper back to Tseng. "Do it. What ever happens will rid us of his presence. Either Sephiroth or my dear cousin will handle it," Rufus smirked. "Who knows, maybe Father will take matters into his own hands if he hears of it."

Tseng frowned. "What do you mean?"

Rufus eyed him. "Well... let's just say Father would not take kindly to the idea of his beloved sister's grandchildren being turned into experiments."

Reno pouted. "Dat still don't explain why it's gotta be _me,_ though."

Cissnei whacked him on the head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha! I told y'all I'd be back soon! And here's an update! :D
> 
> Gotta say, guys, I love all the prompts I've been getting. I might not be able to write them all, but they're certainly feeding my muse :3
> 
> Oh, and that thing about not having time if I do rewrite this fic, I mean that I won't be updating Extras or any of my other stories since I'd only be devoting my time and energy to this fic's rewrite.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII
> 
> Warning: Trolling!Sephiroth; mentions of Fem!Cloud; possible OOCness
> 
> Un-Beta'd
> 
> * * *
> 
>  
> 
> __
> 
>  
> 
> _Prompt: Midgard Press Interviews Sephiroth_  
> 
> 
> * * *

Sephiroth sat there, waiting for the whole thing to end. Of course, no matter how many ways Sephiroth tried to amuse himself in order to make time pass faster, nothing worked. After all, his tormentors were doing their best to drag their little sessions on for as long as humanly possible. If it wasn't for the President, Sephiroth could have been doing something more productive with his time (like torment Cloud). Instead, he would have to suffer through the annoying chatter and flashing lights. The only consolation he had was the fact that Zack, Genesis, and Angeal were suffering along with him - or rather, Angeal was at least. Zack and Genesis were enjoying the limelight.

Currently, Zack, Angeal, and Sephiroth were waiting in a private lounge with a few Turks as they watched Genesis' one-on-one interview come to an end. It was finally Sephiroth's turn. Getting up, Sephiroth made his way to the other room, following the employee how went to fetch him. Soon enough, he arrived at his destination. As they passed one another, Genesis bid him good luck with his usual dramatic flare.

The room was brightly lit, the majority of the lights focusing on the stage. There was an abnormal abundance of females in the audience, Sephiroth observed. He paid it no mind. He went to take his place on the leather sofa, right across the interviewer, briefly exchanging a few pleasantries.

"Everybody, let's give a warm welcome to our beloved General, Sephiroth!"

The audience roared at her words. Silently, Sephiroth wished they would tone it down. They were unbearably loud to his sensitive mako hearing. He didn't grimace at the noise. Instead, he dutifully waved at them. They roared even louder, and Sephiroth made his decision.

He would make this as uncomfortable and disheartening for them as possible. The fact that he would be able to see their miserable faces at his answers to the predictable questions made it even sweeter.

Once the crowd quieted down, the interviewer started asking her questions.

"Let's start this off simply," the woman said. "Everyone knows that Commanders Hewley and Rhapsodos came from Banora, and that Commander Hewley's student, Zachary Fair came from Gongaga. We're curious as to where _your_ hometown is, General."

"I was born in Neibelheim," Sephiroth stated.

"Oh," the interviewer stumbled at the unexpected answer. "And, uh, _where_ is that exactly?"

"Up in the mountains." He reveled at their blank, stupefied faces.

That... did not fit his image. At all. The thought that ShinRa's glorious, beautiful General was a mountain hick... The interviewer's mind drew a blank, before kicking back into gear and bulldozing over his answer with another question in an attempt to save the interview and the image of ShinRa's most prized SOLDIER.

"SO!" She brought up a popular question, in hopes of distracting the female audience from Sephiroth's prior confession. Her loud exclamation, unbeknownst to her, had irritated Sephiroth's sensitive hearing. "The Silver Elite are dying to know, what do you look for in a partner?"

Her question drew the audience's attention. Sephiroth could see them leaning forward from their seats, as if he would miraculously call out their name. He raised a brow at the interviewer's similar reaction.

He pondered for a moment, debating whether or not he was petty enough to crush all their hopes and dreams for the sake of his hearing's vengeance. And he came to the conclusion that, yes, he was.

"Blonde," he said, starting off easily. Idly, he could see some of the audience wilt, while the blondes on the set preened. "Blue eyes," he added.

Oh, look. A few more crumbled. He swore he could hear sobs.

The interviewer, coincidentally, was blonde and blue-eyed. When he turned back to face her, he almost deadpanned at her hopeful face.

"A strong swordsman."

All of them, including the interviewer, wilted. They quickly sprung back up with determination in their eyes, however, to his amusement. They probably remembered that they could buy blue eye contacts and dye their hair. And they probably thought they could just pick-up swordsmanship. If any thing, he probably just boosted ShinRa's future SOLDIER population. The President was probably going to use that statement to encourage females to enter ShinRa and boost the company's reputation for promoting "gender-equality."

Sephiroth didn't care. As long as it wouldn't take up more of his time. Then again, if it did, he could always defect.

 _Hmm..._ Now there was a thought.

"Someone who can keep up with me in the throes of battle." He took in their disheartened faces with relish. "Who would be a wonderful, loving mother."

They were beginning to look hopeful and determined again so he added, "And who would be so protective, she would not hesitate to give me the most gruesome, excruciating death if she thought I was even so much a threat to her loved ones."

Again, he basked in their complete and utter horrified silence.

"Excuse me?" the interviewer squeaked.

"Of course," he continued blithely, "she could always opt for hurling me into reactors if she so wished."

Sephiroth observed the woman across him with amusement as she tried to school her face into a politically correct expression. Watching her trying and failing to come up with an appropriate response was almost as entertaining as watching Genesis play Dodge the Fireball with the new recruits.

She must have seen the amusement on his face for she quickly collected herself and let out a strained laugh. "Oh, I never knew how dark your humor could be, General!"

The audience let out a relieved laugh at that.

He gave a smile that was more of a smirk and let out some unexpected words.

"Oh, I was simply describing my fiancée."

The noise level came to a abrupt halt, and everyone in the room, from the audience to the staff, gave him alarmed looks.

"I-is that so?" the interviewer coughed, breaking the silence. "And...How long have you two been engaged?" she inquired.

"Just recently," Sephiroth said with great satisfaction. "I've finally convinced her to marry me." Though, 'convinced' wasn't really the case, but they didn't have to know that.

The interviewer leaned forward. "Oh? Was it difficult to convince her?"

"A bit," he admitted. "You'd think that after having my children, she wouldn't have been so adverse to the idea."

"Children?" She perked up at the news. "Yes, there have been rumors going around. Several people have reportedly sighted silver-haired children going around Midgar and the ShinRa building. How many children do you have, if you don't mind me asking."

"We've had three, thus far," he hummed. "Their mother occasionally brings them to Midgar to visit family and friends."

"Are the children the reason you wanted to marry this woman?"

"No." Unabashed, he boldly admitted, "I had hoped that impregnating her would encourage her to accept my proposal."

He met the interviewer's stare dead-on as everyone around him gawked at his bold confession.

"So, um... How did you two meet?" she asked, hoping to find something more comfortable to talk about.

"We first met in Neibelheim, our hometown."

"Oh? Childhood friends?"

"No, actually. You see, at that time, I had recently discovered something rather unpleasant and... Well I guess you could say I threw a bit of a fit. Needless to say, she appeared and snapped me out of it."

Interested, the interviewer patiently waited for him to elaborate. When he didn't, she prodded. "How?"

He gave her a smirk. "She stabbed me." At her horrified face, he couldn't help but elaborate. "Mind you, that was after I had ran Masamune through her torso, and burned down her house." He took in the pale faces of his audience, staff and guests, and continued, "Soon after that, she shoved me into the reactor, with her brother's sword still embedded in my chest."

Horrified silence filled the room.

"I've been chasing after her ever since," he couldn't help but add, carrying on as if what he had just said was a completely normal meeting.

Privately, the interviewer wondered if he had mistaken the desire for vengeance for love and desire.

"So," the interviewer coughed awkwardly. "Do you have any… um… hobbies?"

She winced at her question. This interview had not been going as well as she had hoped. The General hadn't responded to the questions as planned, leaving her rather flustered, despite the _interesting_ answers he had provided.

Sephiroth hummed. His eyes glinted with an emotion she could not place, but if that smirk on his face said anything, she was of the opinion that it was something wicked.

"I must say, I do enjoy cloud-watching."

* * *

Zack choked on his food as he sat on a sofa next to some Turks.

Reno stared blankly at the screen before turning towards Tseng.

"Did he jus' admit ta bein' a peepin' tom?"

He received no answer. Reno glanced at Zack and flinched away from the SOLDIER's frightening aura.

_"I'm gonna kill him."_

Suddenly, Reno wished Angeal and Genesis hadn't been called out of the room to get ready to join Sephiroth on stage. He looked to Tseng for help, only to find that the bastard left him to deal with the homicidal SOLDIER.

And to think, he still hadn't figured out a way he could tell Cloudy and the others about Hojo's newfound interest in the little triplets that wouldn't result in him being doomed for the rest of eternity.

Maybe Sephiroth and the others were onto something with all those defections.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew... This chapter was longer than usual. I was actually tempted to continue, but I figured I should just end it here :P
> 
> Thank you to those who submitted interview questions to fuel my uncreative mind. I know most of them weren't used, but I just couldn't find a way to insert them without losing my train of thought. But thank you all the same. They helped remove that writer's block that was building up in regards to this chapter.

**Author's Note:**

> Hmm… Aside from chapter 1, I’m thinking of rewriting the rest of In Which Cloud Travels Back in Time (Again).
> 
> It just feels like the entire thing digressed and I feel off topic with it now.
> 
> What do you think?


End file.
